


Valentine's Day

by ChillyHollow



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: F/M, Romance, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-13
Updated: 2020-02-13
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22694782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChillyHollow/pseuds/ChillyHollow
Summary: Cormoran and Robin have to fake a romantic Valentine's Day dinner and during it, they talk about love.This doesn't fit into the Love Letters celebration of Valentine's Day so I am posting it a day early.
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Valentine's Day

It certainly seemed odd to start Valentine’s Day without a card or flowers, Robin thought as she headed to work.Whatever failings Matthew had as a boyfriend, fiancé or husband, he always remembered to give her flowers and a card on Valentine’s Day.Of course, she thought bitterly, he probably was giving them to someone else at the same time.She sighed, then managed to unlock the exterior door to her office building while juggling the cardboard coffee carrier and her tote bag.Running lightly up the stairs, she unlocked the inner office door, put the coffees down on her desk, and turned on the lights.The little space was a bit dark in the mornings since the windows faced west.She dumped her tote behind her desk, turned on her computer, and hung up her coat and scarf. 

Checking the calendar, she noticed that Strike wouldn’t be in until about lunchtime as he had a meeting with a client and the client’s lawyer first thing, then surveillance scheduled.She would be here by herself until lunchtime.That meant she could work on the billing and accounts uninterrupted except by occasional phone calls.She put his coffee, which would need to be heated by the time he arrived, on the counter next to the microwave, and folded the cardboard carrier neatly away.She reused them until they fell apart, then recycled them. 

Taking her coffee to her desk, she set to work.By noon everything was up to date in the accounts.Examining their calendar to see if any clients were due this afternoon, she noticed “Dinner-Bob Bob Ricard” was written in for tonight at 7:30 p.m.Odd.She didn’t think her boss was dating anyone.Not that she paid careful attention to the various women who floated in and out of his life.Not her business.But the restaurant was famed for both its prices and the Press for Champagne buttons at each booth.It was both flashy and expensive, not the sort of place she associated with her down-to-earth and thrifty employer.Of course it was probably less than a mile away, so he could walk there and avoid the heavy London traffic. Maybe that’s why he choose it, or maybe the lady he was seeing had expressed a preference.

For a moment she had a fantasy of sitting in a leather booth, with a bouquet of flowers next to her, Strike facing her, holding her hand, while a waiter poured them champagne.She wondered who the lucky lady was.She hadn’t realized when she first came to work at the detective agency just who and what Strike was.His famous parents, a stint at Oxford, his illustrious military career, his very sexy slow smile, the hoards of beautiful women he drew like bees to honey, his deep dedication to the job, all that was unknown to her.She shifted uneasily in her chair.Not her business. 

Her phone pinged with a text message.“On my way.Lunch?”It was Strike.She smiled and sent a note back “turkey on rye + crisps.”She poured the now cold coffee into a tall mug and set it in the microwave, ready to heat.She also put the kettle on to boil.He might prefer tea and she certainly wanted a cup, so she would be ready.She shut down the accounting software, closed her email account, looked at the office calendar again, then sat back in her chair, waiting. 

Strike came stomping up the stairs, paper bag in one hand and phone in the other. He was looking at the phone, frowning, but he gave her a smile and nod before he took the call that had apparently just come through.“Strike here.Ok.7:30 p.m. as we arranged.I have it on my calendar.I’ll call you.”He put the phone and paper bag down on her desk, took off his jacket and added it to the coat hook next to hers.“What a day!”

“How did the meeting go at the lawyer’s?” Robin asked.“Tea or coffee?”

“Coffee.Boring,” he answered.“I really didn’t need to be there but the client wanted me to go with her and she hadn’t paid the final bill, so….”Robin handed him his bag of chips and his roast beef on whole wheat with plenty of onions.He sat on the battered leather sofa across from her desk and began to eat.The microwave pinged so Robin extracted his coffee and handed it over, then poured herself tea.She unwrapped her own sandwich and opened her chips bag.They ate for a bit in companionable silence. 

Strike pulled out his wallet and removed a check for a substantial sum which he handed over to Robin.“Great!”she said. “I’ll take it to the bank on the way home tonight.” 

“About tonight,” Strike said.“I got a call from Lonely Lover last night that he suspects his wife is cheating on him again.He is away in Scotland for a business meeting and wants us to check out a dinner date she is planning while he’s gone.It’s at Bob Bob Ricard this evening so at last it’s not far to go.I know it is Valentine’s Day but could you come with me and pose as my date?It’ll be easier to keep an eye on the wife and whomever she meets if there are two of us.” 

Robin felt unaccountably relieved—Strike wasn’t dating someone!—and then nervous.“As your date?” 

“Yes, just dress up, it’s an expensive restaurant, and we’ll have a nice dinner on expenses while keeping an eye on the wife.Just because it’s Valentine’s Day, it isn’t certain that she is celebrating with someone else.It could just be two girlfriends out on the town because their significant others are away.” 

“Ok, “ said Robin.“What time?” 

“Lonely Lover says her reservation is at 7:15 p.m. so he made one at 7:30 for us.Can you meet me here at 7 and we’ll walk over?It’s going to be easier to walk than to drive.”

“Sure,” she answered.“Maybe I’d better leave early and take this to the bank, then go home and get ready so I’ll be back in time.”Cormoran rose, got rid of the debris from their sandwiches and chips, and his unfinished coffee, and headed into his office.“Sounds good to me.I’ve got to catch up on emails first, but I’ll go get ready in a while and meet you back here.”Robin noticed he didn’t seem nervous or eager.This was just another business dinner to him.She straightened her spine, then her desk, wrote out the deposit slip and then with a wave to Strike, she headed out to the bank and her little flat to get ready for a meaningless faux romantic dinner on Valentine’s Day. 

Robin wavered between a floral dress or a tailored pants suit for the dinner with Strike.She thought that she’d probably wear a dress if this was a real date but the pants suit was both flattering and warmer in the February chill.She could add a nice jacket and scarf over the matching sweater and use her pearl earrings for a touch of class.The pants and sweater were blush pink, a color that flattered her hair and skin color.She brightened the look with a deeper rose wool jacket and a patterned floral scarf around her neck that picked up all the pinks and added moss green to the mix.Looking herself over in the full length mirror on her closet door, she thought she looked pretty good for an over-the-hill divorcee.

Strike frowned at himself in the mirror as he tied his tie.He wasn’t going to be able to do much with his untamable curls but he could ensure the knot in the tie was perfect at least.Checking his pocket for his wallet, cigarettes, keys and phone, he headed downstairs from his flat, clean and as presentable as his big frame could be. He made himself a cup of tea while waiting for Robin, trying to tame the nervous butterflies in his stomach.This was just surveillance, albeit dressed up as a romantic evening out.He hoped Robin wouldn’t be late but of course she never was.Unlike most women she always arrived at the time and place specified.He was lucky to have her as his partner.He fiddled with his tie again, but turned as he heard the outer office door open. 

Robin saw Strike in a suit from the rear standing in his office, deep in thought, when she opened the door.He turned and smiled at her.“Right on time.I put photos of Lonely’s wife on your desk so you know who the mark is.”Robin stepped over to study the photos of a somewhat thin and nervous-looking woman with glossy black hair she wore long and wavy over her shoulders.“She should be easy to pick out with that hair and her Roman nose.” 

“Ready?” Strike asked.Robin smiled and nodded back.“You look very nice,” he added and smiled that crooked smile she rarely saw, the one that could melt any feminine heart. 

“Thanks.Shall we go?” she asked.Strike let her proceed him down the stairs, locking the doors behind them as they headed towards the heart of Soho.

Strike looked over at her as they walked side by side. “I should have asked if you had something planned for tonight.” 

Robin shook her head.“No, I’m not seeing anyone so I didn’t have any plans for Valentine’s.” 

“Me, either,” was his answer.She felt her heart lift a bit at these words, although it was none of her business.He stopped in front of one of the fancy florists that were popping up all over their corner of London.“I got you flowers so we’d be a bit more convincing.In here.”Intrigued, Robin followed him into the florist’s office.The woman behind the desk gave Strike a big smile, then fetched a tiny spray of very pale pink roses from the cooler.Strike took them from her and carefully pinned them on Robin’s jacket collar.Robin looked at herself in the mirror, and started to thank Strike only to get a sniff of a subtle and lovely perfume.“They smell terrific!” she exclaimed.

The florist said, “They are Souvenir de la Malmaison roses, bred for Empress Josephine in France.They have a wonderful tea rose perfume.”Robin smiled at Strike, who was looking at her fondly.He said, “I thought they suited you when I ordered them, but they look wonderful with your jacket.” 

“Thank you. I love them.”

“Shall we?”Strike opened the door for her and off they went, strolling down the sidewalk, smiling at each other. 

The restaurant seated them at a small table in the blue dining room.Robin spotted their quarry right away, sitting at a banquette to her right and behind Strike with a sandy-haired man in a blue suit she’d never seen before.She pulled out her phone and laid it on the table.The habits of today’s smart phone and Instagram addicts meant she could easily grab photos without notice.Luckily the bathrooms were in that area, so Strike would be able to get photos himself if he made a quick visit.Strike ordered oysters as their starter and requested a bottle of Gewurztraminer to go with Robin’s lobster mac and cheese and his roast cod.Robin had a green salad on the side and of course Strike asked for chips. 

“I’d love to order their Beef Wellington For Two,” Strike said wistfully,“but we have to be ready to leave when Lonely’s wife does. Can you see what they are eating, Robin?” 

“Looks like they ordered the Beef Wellington,” Robin reported.“They will be here a while.The menu says to allow forty-five minutes.They are holding hands now.”Robin picked up her phone and got a good photo of the couple while pretending to check a call.She laid her phone back down and smiled at Strike.“Got it!”

“Never doubted you would,” was his reply.“I’ve never been out to eat for Valentine’s Day,” he continued, to Robin’s surprise.“Charlotte always wanted to go to Paris.” 

Robin thought about asking if they didn’t eat out while in Paris but decided that was a bit too personal so she said, “Matthew always did the flowers and card thing, and we’d eat out occasionally.We were always saving for a car and a better flat, though, so we usually skipped the festivities.” 

Strike took her hand.“We’ll just pretend that this is a romantic dinner, ok?I just told you that your eyes are like stars.” 

Robin played along, squeezing his fingers gently.“I just replied that I bet you tell that to all the girls.”

“Nope,” he retorted. “Most of my lady friends would have fallen over laughing if I’d said that.Better to just tell them how attractive they are.”

“Does that work?” Robin wanted to know.

“Absolutely!Of course I’m single and have been for a while.Maybe it’s not a good long-term strategy.Works for a nice weekend roll in the hay, though.” 

Robin bet it did, especially if Strike looked at the ladies in question the way he was looking at her.She gently withdrew her hand and took a bite of lobster, saying,“Eat your food before it gets cold.”Strike ate one of his chips and when Robin swallowed her bite, he offered one to her.“Feeding your lady friend is a time-tested lover’s strategy.” 

Robin let him feed her.“Those are good.”

“Sure are.I’m not sharing any more!”Robin laughed.She sneaked a look at the wife they were following and picked up her phone in time to get a decent shot of the sandy-haired man kissing his companion’s cheek.She discretely showed Strike the photo she’d gotten.He raised his eyebrows and then took her hand and kissed it in appreciation.The waiter arrived to pour more wine so Robin was able to reclaim her hand, which tingled a bit where Strike had kissed it.She said, “The wine is delicious.”

Strike said, “I thought you’d like it.It’s from the Loire Valley and has a nice spicy aftertaste.”They ate in silence for a while, Robin sneaking looks over Cormoran’s shoulder at the couple they were observing that she camouflaged with smiles at Strike.Out of the blue Robin asked Strike, “How do you know you are in love with someone?”

Strike looked surprised.“What brought that up?”

“It’s Valentine’s Day, so I have been thinking about my relationship with Matt.I think I confused the thrill of having the best-looking boy in school be interested in me with real love.”

Strike thought about his relationship with Charlotte.“The way I felt about Charlotte in the beginning was like that.But it grew to be much more.I did love her, but in the end it was destructive.She needed me to be someone else than I am and she hated my job.I wouldn’t give it up for her.”

“Matt hated my working for you, too.I supposed in a way Matt needed me to be someone other than myself as well.That’s why I had to get away from him.His cheating on me was just a convenient excuse.”

“Cheating was the end for me.Charlotte told me she was pregnant and then she wasn’t, and the dates never added up. She was seeing someone else, thought she was pregnant and didn’t know by whom.That made it easier—it wasn’t easy—but that made it easier to walk away from her.”

“I guess cheating is just a symptom that things aren’t right in a relationship.”Robin took another bite of her macaroni nestled in a smooth creamy sauce before she continued. “My parents love each other, I think.And I think Nick and Ilsa love each other.They all seem to respect each other, as well, instead of trying to get each other to change.”Robin pondered the couples they knew whom she was sure were in love.“I think Nick and Ilsa believe in the same things, and they are both good people.That probably helps.”

“My aunt and uncle are the same way, two peas in a pod.They’ve loved each other for decades,”Strike commented.

Robin pondered, “So true love is based on being yourself with someone who has similar life goals?”

“Probably that’s the foundation.You need more, a spark, but the spark won’t blossom into deep love without that foundation.”They looked unspeaking at each other, then Strike said, “‘Studeamus nos nunc amare.’It translates as ‘Let us now study the art of love.’That’s from 11th century song lyrics.

Robin pondered what he had said.She knew there was a spark between herself and her boss that they were both ignoring, not wanting to challenge the status quo.She had never thought about how he encouraged her, treated her as an equal, listened to her and how when he argued with her, he seemed to consider her side even if he didn’t agree.He was protective, more so than she liked, but she knew if his leg started giving him real problems, she would feel the same way. 

“Shall we order dessert?” he asked, taking them away from uncharted territory.Robin risked another glance at the couple behind Strike. 

“I think we’d better wait a bit.They are finishing up their beef but I can’t tell if they’ve ordered coffee or any dessert.” 

Strike pushed the champagne button and their waiter appeared.He asked for coffee and the dessert menu to buy them time.Robin kept an eye on their quarry and noticed the woman heading into the ladies room, so she told Strike she would follow her.Inside the spotless little bathroom, the woman they’d been following was staring at her reflection in the mirror.Robin used the facilities, washed her hands, fiddled with her hair, and redid her eye makeup and lipstick.Her mark still stared at herself.“Are you ok?” Robin ventured.

The woman sighed.“Yes, I’m just thinking about Life.You know, the choices I’ve made and have to make.” 

Robin nodded.“Some days it is all overwhelming.I married the wrong guy, divorced him, and now am wondering if this guy I’m dating is The One.” 

The woman said, “Me, too. Well, I’d better get back out there.”She left Robin at the mirror to return to her table. 

Robin sighed, looked at herself one more time, and followed her.Strike rose when she arrived, then took her hand when he caught sight of her face.“Are you ok?” he asked with concern. 

“Yes,” Robin said as she sat back down.“She is debating whether to leave her husband for this man or not.It’s sad.”Strike settled back in his chair and said,“What we do often involves sad things, Robin.” 

“I know.But it bothers me more some times than others.I don’t want to tell the client his wife is cheating without letting him know that his wife may choose to stay with him.” 

“When I report to him I’ll make sure he understands that she hasn’t made up her mind.Is that a fair way to put it?”Strike was not surprised that the wife had confided in Robin.She had a way about her that telegraphed what a kind, decent person Robin was to everyone she came into contact with.She was the perfect partner, too.She was interested in the job and approached finding out the truth the same way he did.When he criticized, she listened and learned.If he was wrong, she told him so in a straightforward way.The success of the business was due to her. She brought brains, a capacity for hard work, understanding of people and kindness to the job.He was a very lucky man to have her.If sometimes late at night he wanted more, well, he managed to keep those thoughts to himself.So far.

“What would you like for dessert?” Strike asked her. 

“I think I want the lemon sorbet.” 

“I’m going to have the creme brûlée,” Strike told the waiter who had reappeared silently what he wanted.“And the lady would like the Le Colonel sorbet.”The waiter smiled his approval and withdrew.Robin looked at their quarry again.She seemed to be crying.She whispered to Strike.“I think she’s dumping him.”And sure enough, Lonely’s wife was gathering her wrap and walking out, leaving the sandy-haired man alone at the table.

“Should we follow?”Robin asked. 

Strike frowned, “No, I think we’ve got what we came for.We might as well enjoy our dessert.”He took a sip of his coffee. Their waiter reappeared and set Robin’s sorbet in front of her, then set the creme brûlée carefully on the side of the table, added a little liquor from a small bottle on top, and set the liquor on fire with a lighter from his pocket.It flamed blue and yellow as he set it in front of Strike. 

Robin looked at the flames consuming the liquor, then up into Strike’s eyes.Without realizing she was doing it, she took his hands and they watched the flames die down with both hands clasped on the table. Neither said anything, they just held hands, looking up from the blazing crust on the dessert into each other’s eyes.Robin whispered to him, “Let us now study the art of love.”

Strike looked back at her and nodded.“Studeamus nos nunc amare.”They picked up their dessert spoons and ate, sharing a bite of their treat with each other.They finished, Strike paid the waiter, and hand in hand they walked down the sidewalk, together. 

**Author's Note:**

> "Do not hesitate, let us now study the art of love.  
> Without you I cannot live, like the moon cannot without its stars.  
> You light the darkness in my eyes, a candle in the dark.  
> Others can envy us, for our love will never be destroyed.  
> You are my world, my whole heart.  
> I will always be yours and you mine."
> 
> From The Cambridge Songs Manuscript  
> This is my favorite translation from one of a series of 11th Century Latin poems in a manuscript fragment belonging to Cambridge University Library


End file.
